England Hockey Premier Division Match Report
Saturday 24th February

0-3 Loss vs Wimbledon M1

Report by Alastair Whatley

Kwan Browne’s side suffered a disappointing loss to a well drilled Wimbledon side on Saturday afternoon as the home side failed to capitalise on strong performances against Surbiton and Hampstead.

Southgate M1’s came into the game hoping to turn the screws on Karl Stagno’s south London outfit with whom there had been an end to end encounter at Raynes Park before Christmas. As the sun slowly faded over Trent Park into a crisp February evening the expectant crowd hoped to see fireworks from the Southgate forward line. Yet in the 7th minute it was a former Southgate forward in the form of Duncan Scott that return to his old club to give his new club the lead in a clinical back post finish that richoted off a Southgate defensive stick wrong footing Anton van Loggerenberg in the ‘Gate goal.

Will Calnan was then gifted an aerial pass of rare beauty from his coach Kwan Browne from the Southgate 25 which split the Wimbledon defence and with an expert touch fended off Ian Sloan before taking the athletic Ore Ogunlana hard and right in a bid to get around the Wimbledon keeper. Yet the former Surbiton man proved Calnan’s equal closing him down expertly leaving the GB forward with a tight angled shot that was fended off the line by Jack Turner.

Matt Ramshaw who has looked in strong form led the line well and came closest to a goal scoring chance with a smarty taken reverse that aimed high and left but ended up easily clearing Ogunlana. With ‘Gate mis firing it took visiting captain Jack Waller to take another smartly taken chance again on the back post from a broken down PC in the 27th to give Wimbledon a 2-0 advantage.

Credit to the Southgate defence who continued to endure something of an offensive Wimbledon barrage as PC after PC was run down with Karan Sofat, Rob Gill and Charles Hamilton earning their spurs. Jack Middleton also strode his left post like a colossus fending balls with hand, stick and even at one point his head, yet umpire Monger officiating with Andy Higgins (enjoying his 300th national league cap) awarded a flick to Wimbledon which saw Sloan step up and send the ball hard, low and left- van Loggerenberg read it well, but was just outgunned for pace. The goal left Wimbledon with a clear 3 goal lead at half time.

Southgate held firm for the final half yet found themselves guilty at times of forcing the play, missing connections on the offensive and not taking their chances in front of goal. It proved a frustrating game in many ways for a side who continue to show huge promise yet are just falling short in the finest of margins against these, the top teams in England. Sloan missed his second flick in the 3rd quarter with van Loggerenberg again reading a low left delivery and again ‘Gate showed huge mettle in defence but ultimately the side came off the field pondering what could have been.

Credit to Wimbledon for a professional display after a weekend in the shed in Vienna competing in the club Euro indoor championships, for Southgate they face their final throw of the dice in phase 2 with a return visit of Old Georgians and the chance to offer a real upset to the reining champions in English hockey.

Next game 2nd March vs Old Georgians (18:00, St George’s College)